


What's In A Name?

by Selkie_de_Suzie



Category: Strange Magic (2015)
Genre: Cute, Drabble, Fluff, Humor, Middle Names, butterfly bog
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-21
Updated: 2015-03-21
Packaged: 2018-03-18 19:53:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,534
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3581844
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Selkie_de_Suzie/pseuds/Selkie_de_Suzie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"That which we call a primrose by any other name would smell as sweet…" Bog and Marianne discuss middle names.</p>
            </blockquote>





	What's In A Name?

**Author's Note:**

> This fanfic is entirely inspired by plush-anon's fabulous and wonderful fanfic "Names." I hope they won’t be too terribly offended if I gave my own take on the idea! I was just struck by a silly little plot bunny that refused to be ignored, and, well…this is the result.
> 
> The name of Bog's father is one I have come up with - please no filching, dearies!

She squinted at him thoughtfully. “So middle names are an actual thing with goblins?”

They were currently taking a breather from sparring, Marianne nursing a much needed cool drink and Bog flexing and rotating his arm, the one that had been injured in the destruction of the old Dark Castle. It still could pain him at times, but Marianne knew better then to suggest he shouldn’t push himself in seeing what he could still do with it. He would say a King had to work beyond any personal ailments or minor injuries. Marianne would say it was sheer pigheadedness. 

He raised a brow at her. “Why shouldn’t they be a thing with us?”

Marianne shrugged. “I never said they shouldn’t, I just always thought that middle names would be seen as…I don’t know,  _superfluous_. Like how you don’t have any titles or knighthoods here, unlike the Fairy Kingdom -“

"There’s a difference between the needless extravagance and pageantry of knighthood and lords and ladies and all that, and simply having names." Bog answered dryly. "Names are important here, as important as they are in your kingdom."

"You know, I never asked you - is your full name actually  _The Bog King_? Or is that like, a title?” 

"Uhh, well…both?" He scratched his neck. "I was named Bog when born, but I didn’t inherit the title of King until later. My father was known as the Gravener King, so there is that."

Marianne hummed thoughtfully. “Okay…so what’s your official full name? Do you have a middle name?” She grinned suddenly, mischievously, and Bog realized with a faint sense of dread that there was a reason why she started this talk with him, the tricksy little minx. “Is it actually Misery?”

Bog looked at her sly smile and how her eyes glittered with wickedness, and wished with all his heart that he didn’t find that look so deeply attractive. “…In a manner, yes, it is.”

She cocked her head, truly intrigued. “In a manner? Care to explain?”

He sighed. “It comes from the Old Tongue of the Dark Forest, one that’s barely remembered. But those with royal blood are expected to know it - or, at the very least, pay respect to it by having it as part of their title.”

Marianne moved closer to him, leaning in eagerly. “Soooo…what is it?”

Bog exhaled wearily, than snarled out something long and guttural.

Marianne blinked at him. “Uh…that was an actual word? That…okay, I didn’t catch any consonants or vowels in there.”

"It’s the Old Tongue for  _'Misery'_ , so yes, it is an actual word.” Bog replied, rolling his eyes at her. 

"So, you telling me that Bog -" she made a snarling, choking noise - "King is your full name?"

"No, because there’s no word in the Old Tongue that’s spoken like you’ve got a fishbone stuck in your throat." 

She swatted at him, which he dodged with ease. “Ha-ha, excuse me, first time hearing Old Tongue.” An idea came to her. “Hey, maybe you could teach me!”

It was his turn to cock his head at her. “You mean that?”

She nodded, moving to lean against him, setting her drink aside. “Sure, why not? It’s another thing to know about the Dark Forest, and if it’s unique to your royalty…maybe I can find some scrolls back home and see if the Fairy Kingdom has any old languages, see if there might be a common root.”

He tugged her closer, quietly marveling over her willingness to embrace his Kingdom and its culture, how quickly and adeptly she was setting up foundations for her time to rule. She was proving more and more that she would be an excellent Queen. Although…

He glanced down at her, raising a brow. “So, on the subject of middle names… fair is fair? I told you mine, you tell me yours?”

Marianne was expecting this, but she still glanced away. “Yeah, I have one, but…” she sighed. “I just don’t think you’ll believe me.”

Bog leaned back, bemused. “Not believe you? Why?”

She sighed again, fidgeting. “It’s just kind of, well…ironic, considering…”

Bog was beginning to get seriously intrigued. “C’mon, I told you mine.”

Marianne let her shoulders slump. “Okay, well…in the Fairy Kingdom, we also have a tradition when it comes to middle names. Whenever a new baby is born into the royal family, they get a middle name in honor of a plant or a flower that was particularly important that season, for whatever reason. Dawn’s middle name is Marigold, and mine is…well…”

"Stop teasing me, just say it!"

She sighed, and then looked at him resignedly. “My full title…is Princess Marianne Primrose of the Light Fields.”

He stared at her, and she stared back, waiting for him to say something. 

He narrowed his eyes at her, suspicious. “…You’re joking.”

She shook her head.

"You  _have_  to be.”

She sighed. “I knew you wouldn’t believe me -“

_"Your middle name is Primrose?!"_

"It wasn’t because of the fiasco with the Love Potion, it was before that! They had a seriously strong blooming period, it was unusual for that season, that’s why -"

"I can’t bloody believe it," he muttered, and there was an honest look of shock in his eyes. That damnable bloom was determined to haunt him for all eternity…

She couldn’t repress a chuckle at his expression. “Still like me?” She murmured, snuggling up to him.

He still seemed to be preoccupied with this new information, but gave a little nod, shell-shocked as it was. “Aye…”

She leaned her face into the crook of his neck, desperately trying to muffle any escaping giggles. 

* * *

Marianne flit in and out of the Old Archives, exclaiming over the information that had been saved over the years, marveling over the detailed notes of the Dark Forest. Bog would have been basking in her delight over finding new information about his Kingdom, but he had to keep an eye on a different Fairy Princess at the moment. 

Dawn leaned over a particularly fierce looking blade, her sweet face innocently curious. “So this is the one you use when going to war?”

Bog restrained the urge to pull her away, once again baffled by the sheer protectiveness Dawn inspired in him - not the same feeling he has with Marianne, but something almost…brotherly. It was an odd feeling, one he didn’t try to examine, and simply let himself be dictated by it. “Aye, though I’ve never used it. The last battle that thing has seen was likely with one of my grandfathers -  _and it’s extremely sharp, Dawn, don’t_  -!”

Dawn pulled her hand back, her eyes wide, and she gave a nervous laugh. “Yikes, you guys don’t fool around when it comes to weapons! Or anything,” she added, looking back at Marianne, pouring over old texts. “I don’t think even the library back home could compare to what you have here. I don’t know why Marianne is so fascinated by this Old Tongue thing, but it looks like she could find anything she needs in there.” 

Bog felt another little flicker of pride, and gave a careless shrug. “It all started with middle names, can you believe it? Now she thinks that finding a link between our older languages and yours will help bond the two kingdoms.”

Dawn looked at him quizzically. “Middle names? How does that -” her mouth made a little ‘ _Oh’_  of understanding, and her eyes brightened. “ _Ohhhhh_ , wait, your middle name is in that Old Tongue thingie!  _Cool!_  Wait, did she tell you about our traditions?” 

"The honoring of the flowers, yes," Bog turned to watch Marianne as she gave a little shriek of excitement over something she had found in one particularly musty text. "She also told the names you were given - I quite like yours, even though hers leaves much to be desired."

Dawn looked at him, puzzled. “What’s the matter with the name Juniper?” 

Bog gave her an equally confused look. “Nothing - I’m talking about her middle name. What does that have to do with anything?”

"Bog, her middle name  _is_ Juniper.”

"No, she said it was Primrose."

Dawn snorted. “Bog, I think I know my sister well enough to know her middle name. Primrose?  _Really?_ ”

Bog was silent for the next few moments, his mind wrestling with what Dawn had said. Juniper, not Primrose…then why…?

_Oh, that filthy little trickster._

Marianne flew to them, grinning. “Seriously, I’m going to need the goblins to help me carry up all the stuff I’m finding - how’s it going with you two?”

Dawn was about to answer when Bog gave a snarl, glaring up at her. “Better, now that the truth is out,  _Juniper Girl,_ " he growled menacingly. 

And his sheer annoyance was doubled when she didn’t even look ashamed, and in fact grinned all the more widely, her eyes sparkling. “Ooooh, busted!” she sang, and darted away, calling over her shoulder. “Took you long enough!”

Bog gave another mighty snarl and shot after her, chasing her in and out of the alcoves, her laughter and his threats echoing in the underground chamber.

Dawn sighed to herself, wearily leaning against a table. “They are  _so_  weird.”


End file.
